Know Your Enemy
by Amicitia1
Summary: When the big kids are away, the New Mutants will play. Actually, they just get kidnapped. Who can save them?
1. New Mutants

A/N: Ha! I'm back with a real story. ^_^ I haven't actually written that much of it yet, but I know where it's going, so I'm just going to be reckless and run with it. Keep your arms and legs inside the ride until your plot-bunny comes to a complete stop.  
  
Disclaimer: I drain Marvel Comics Attorney-Man's powers with the legalish statement that I do not own any of these characters. X-Men: Evolution belongs to KidsWB and Marvel Comics Attorney-Man's employers.  
  
*****  
  
(Byur! Byur! Byur!)  
  
Odd. That was the second time in as many days that Cerebro had gone off when no one was using it. Whatever Hank had done to it, it seemed to have taken on a life of its own. Xavier was fairly sure he had been the last to use it, and he *knew* he had turned it off.  
  
Regardless, there was a display on the screen. Only a name and address, but it would have to do. The weekend was looking increasingly interesting.  
  
*****  
  
That Friday, there was a small convention taking place in the study.  
  
"Cerebro has detected two new mutants," the Professor said to his assembled audience. "As you know, it is important that we recruit as many as possible to our cause. Logan, take Scott and Kitty in the X-Jet. Ororo, Jean, and Evan, I'm afraid you'll have to use public transportation."  
  
He gave each group a piece of paper with a name and address. Slowly they drifted out of the room.  
  
"What's going on in there?" Kurt demanded as soon as the door opened.  
  
"Recruiting missions," Evan said shortly.  
  
"I'm not invited?" Kurt frowned.  
  
"Oh, yeah," Kitty said. "They want you to help, just like when you tried to recruit Rogue."  
  
Kurt pulled a face at her.  
  
"How *mature*," she rolled her eyes and walked away.  
  
"You guys going now?" Rogue asked.  
  
"Soon," Scott replied. "Tonight."  
  
"All of you?"  
  
"All except the Professor."  
  
"So the three of us will have the mansion to ourselves," Rogue said thoughtfully.  
  
"Uh, hello?" Jubilee, who had been watching silently, spoke up. "Are we invisible? Or do we just, like, not exist?"  
  
"You're forgetting Dr. McCoy," Kurt said.  
  
"Oh yeah," Rogue nodded. "Four then."  
  
*****  
  
"This is a team-building exercise," Hank said loudly. "It is important for - Bobby, are you paying attention? - important for all of you to understand each other as well as you understand yourselves. All includes you, Miss Aquila. We *are* going to have a discussion, and you *will* ask your teammates questions about themselves and their powers. Mr. Crisp, sit down! Demonstrations are encouraged, providing they are not overly destructive. Begin."  
  
The New Mutants stared blankly at each other for a moment.  
  
"Okay," Bobby volunteered. "Who likes having powers?"  
  
Ray, Roberto, Jubilee, and Rahne raised their hands. Amara was undecided.  
  
"Amara," Sam asked. "When you're in your fire form, do you burn whatever you're standing on?"  
  
"If it's flammable," she replied.  
  
"How many of us have alternate forms?" Jubilee said. "Rahne, Amara...Bobby..."  
  
"And me," Roberto finished. "Four."  
  
"Tell the truth, squirt," Ray looked at Jamie. "You *do* know what your clones are doing, don't you?"  
  
"No!" the youngest mutant protested. "I only know how many there are. Not where they went, or what they're doing."  
  
"But you know which is the real you?" Rahne asked.  
  
"Yeah...almost always."  
  
"So you know when the clones disappear?" Jubilee questioned.  
  
"Right."  
  
"But you only know what the alter-Jamies have done if someone tells you, or if you see them," Bobby thought out loud. "Hey, I want that. Zero responsibility."  
  
"Yeah, right," Jamie scoffed. "You know everyone blames me anyway."  
  
"That's just...weird," Jubilee's head was spinning. "You have *no* idea what they're doing?"  
  
"If they disappear, no," Jamie answered. "If I merge back with them, I get their memories. And then I have multiple memories of one time. *That*'s weird."  
  
Ray started laughing, and did a lawyer impersonation. "Mr. Madrox, where were you the night of January 16th?"  
  
Roberto picked up Jamie's part. "Uh, one of me was doing homework. The other was pestering the big kids. Or do you mean the one who held up the Kwik-e-Mart?"  
  
There was general laughing all around.  
  
"Hold on," Sam said. "A Jamie-clone really could do something like that. Couldn't it?"  
  
"My multiples have very bad judgment," Jamie sighed. "But they always follow direct orders from the original. As long as I can keep them busy, they stay out of trouble."  
  
"So you can get them to do your homework?" Bobby's eyes lit up.  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"Can you get them to do *my* homework?"  
  
"Um...I guess."  
  
"You rock, squirt." Bobby gave Jamie a high-five. "Despite the fact that you have the weirdest, and the most flat-out *useless* power in the history of mutantdom." 


	2. And They're Off!

A/N: This story is dedicated to The Scribe and his disgruntled horde of New Mutant fans.  
Credit goes to my cat, who helped me write this chapter by laying on the keyboard. AQZ!-shift are not important keys. I thank him for bringing this to my attention.  
  
*****  
  
"Like, all systems go, Mr. Logan," Kitty said as she boarded the X-Jet. Scott struggled up the ramp behind her, carrying an overnight bag and a very large suitcase. She looked around the aircraft's interior. "Where's your stuff?"  
  
Logan pointed to a plastic shopping bag behind the co-pilot's seat.  
  
"That's it?" Kitty marveled. "Wow, you must be, like, the best packer *ever*."  
  
"It's a change of clothes and a toothbrush," Logan said.  
  
"Oh. I'll *never* understand guys and their packing habits," Kitty shrugged. She picked a seat and waited while nothing happened.  
  
"Is there a problem?" Scott eventually asked.  
  
"Yeah," Logan said. "It might be *nice* if you told me where we're going, One-eye."  
  
"Oh. Seattle," Scott said, feeling kind of dumb. "And I really do have two eyes, you know."  
  
"Good for you."  
  
*****  
  
The 37 bus crawled up to the sign and jerked to a stop. Team Dig'em, as Evan had decided to call them, got on.  
  
"Scranton, please," Jean said to the driver.  
  
"That's where we're goin'," he replied boredly.  
  
"Man, Jean, don't you know how to ride a bus?" Evan scanned the posted notice and dumped an appropriate amount of money in the box.  
  
"I've never been on a public bus before," she confided as they slid onto a bench.  
  
"You're kidding me."  
  
"No," Jean shook her head. "No Red-n-Tans, no Greyhounds, no Pumpkin Coaches. No school buses."  
  
"How'd you get anywhere?"  
  
"My parents drove me. Or I walked."  
  
"The wonders of suburban living."  
  
*****  
  
Kurt ambled across the Institute grounds, activating his hologram as he approached the gates. There was a crowd of kids on the sidewalk. He recognized some of his schoolmates among them. He was less than pleased to notice Duncan Matthews.  
  
"Hey you, Institute kid," Duncan said upon seeing him.  
  
"Jean is away this weekend," Kurt halted on his side of the fence.  
  
"Whatever," Duncan gripped the iron bars. "We just wanted to know what goes on in there."  
  
"Nothing interesting," Kurt lied.  
  
"Can I come in?" the jock peered through the gate.  
  
"No."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"It's private property."  
  
"So? Your friends have been on my property," Duncan argued.  
  
"They were invited," Kurt pointed out.  
  
"I'm waiting," Duncan stood his ground.  
  
Kurt crossed his arms. There were several long minutes of mutual glaring.  
  
"Fine," Duncan backed off a step. "You're all losers, anyway. Tell Jean I said hi."  
  
"I said she's not home," Kurt shouted after the retreating group. He was completely ignored. He sighed, waited for them to turn the corner, and retrieved the mail.  
  
*****  
  
Later that afternoon, Rogue wandered into the kitchen and sifted through the mail on the table. "Bill, to the Resident, you may have already won a million dollars," she mumbled. There was also a postcard. In her interest to read it, she failed to notice that it had no stamp. "You are invited to a party," she read. "10 AM Sunday morning at the community center. No RSVP necessary."  
  
"Take me with you!" Bobby cried as he tackled her leg.  
  
Rogue startled and looked down. "Bobby? It doesn't say you're invited."  
  
"Who's it addressed to?"  
  
Rogue turned the card over. "A big scribble, and 'Xavier Institute'."  
  
"See, that includes me," Bobby looked up hopefully.  
  
"Fine," Rogue sighed. "Ask the Professor."  
  
"Woohoo!" Bobby bolted for the study. "I get to do something!"  
  
Rogue scooped up a magazine addressed to the good doctor, and headed for the basement wing where he spent a lot of time doing who-knew-what.  
  
Her footsteps echoed in the narrow passageways. She stopped in front of the room Dr. McCoy used for his office, and knocked on the door.  
  
"Come in!"  
  
Rogue entered. "Hi," she said. "Your," she looked at the glossy cover, "'Scientific American' is here."  
  
"Ah, good," the doctor glanced up. "You can leave it on the desk. I'll clear the pile eventually."  
  
Rogue balanced the periodical on a precarious stack of papers. "Haven't seen you in a while," she commented.  
  
"Been busy with my work," McCoy replied. "I'm afraid I can't stop. Almost done, though."  
  
"Have fun," Rogue said as she left.  
  
*****  
  
"Can I go, please tell me I can go!" Bobby shouted as he burst into the study.  
  
The Professor looked up from his work. "Go where?"  
  
"There's a party tomorrow and I'm so bored here at the Institute, I never get anything to do and I just *have* to go!"  
  
"Who's supervising?" Xavier asked.  
  
"I dunno, it didn't say, you *have* to say yes!" Bobby begged.  
  
"I can't let you go if it's unsupervised," Xavier said firmly.  
  
"Come on, Professor, it's on a Sunday. You *can't* have a wild party on a Sunday morning. Especially not at a community center. And Rogue is going."  
  
Xavier considered this. "All right. If Rogue accepts responsibility for you, you can go."  
  
"Yes!!!" Bobby jumped in the air and ran out.  
  
*****  
  
The next door Rogue knocked on happened to belong to Kurt. "Door's open," was the answer she got.  
  
"Want to go to a party tomorrow?" she waved the card.  
  
"Is there food?" he asked, predictably.  
  
"Of course there's food. All parties have food."  
  
"I knew there was a reason I liked America," Kurt grinned.  
  
At that moment, the door banged open and 8 kids stampeded into the room.  
  
"We want to go to the party," Bobby said breathlessly. "The Professor says you have to take us or...or neither of you can go!"  
  
Rogue and Kurt shared a skeptical look.  
  
"He didn't say that," Rogue folded her arms.  
  
"How'd you know?" Bobby's face fell.  
  
"You lie *way* too obviously."  
  
The New Mutants all sagged visibly.  
  
"But...we'll take you anyway."  
  
There was a sudden rise in the room's mood.  
  
"If you promise to behave yourselves."  
  
There was a quick huddle.  
  
"On our honor," Bobby said solemnly.  
  
"*And* if you can stay in our general area while pretending to have never seen us before."  
  
"Deal." 


	3. Arrivals

A/N: Aaahh! Watch me write like crazy! Big thanks to all of my lovely reviewers. You all get an intergalactic crayon in your favorite color. Todd fan reviewed twice, so he gets a second intergalactic crayon in a color of his choice. ^_^  
  
*****  
  
"Hey," Kitty said suddenly. "We have to pass Illinois on the way to Seattle...can we stop and see my parents?"  
  
"No," Logan replied shortly.  
  
"Why?" she pouted.  
  
"Do you see friendly visits on our itinerary?"  
  
"I didn't know we had an itinerary."  
  
"We don't."  
  
A look of confusion crossed Kitty's face. "But then how can it not...oh."  
  
"I think there's faulty logic here somewhere," Scott said. "If there is no itinerary, how can something not be on it?"  
  
"Shut it, One-eye."  
  
"I *told* you, I have two eyes!"  
  
"Prove it," Kitty challenged.  
  
"You know I can't do that without blowing something up," Scott sighed.  
  
"Ha!" Kitty pointed an accusing finger. "Making excuses for not proving your statements! A clear sign of lying!"  
  
"Look!" Scott pointed to his face. "Two lenses on my glasses!"  
  
"That's true," Logan mused. "That girl on Futurama only had one lens when she wore glasses."  
  
"So? That was, like, a cartoon."  
  
*****  
  
By the time the bus rattled across the Pennsylvania border, Ororo was fast asleep.  
  
"Tell me again why we're Team Dig'em," Jean said, turning away from the window.  
  
"For our initials," Evan explained. "Daniels, Grey, and Munroe. Dig'em."  
  
"Why are you first?"  
  
"Err...because it's in alphabetical order," Evan said quickly. "And age order! Isn't that clever?"  
  
Jean looked at him doubtfully. "I think you just wanted to feel important. We should call ourselves...um...what's a word with g-m-d?"  
  
"Go Mad?" Evan suggested.  
  
"Go Mad," Jean considered the phrase. "No. Sounds like we're off the deep end."  
  
"How about Grimed?"  
  
"Is that even a word?"  
  
"I dunno."  
  
*****  
  
Logan had gotten permission to land at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, but they'd had to circle for hours before they were allowed to come in.  
  
"Ow," Kitty said as she stood stiffly. "I, like, never want to see a plane *again*."  
  
"Have a nice walk back to New York," Logan bent over to pick up his bag.  
  
"Fine," Kitty opened the hatch. "But after that, I'm absolutely not flying any more."  
  
Scott, stuck with Kitty's oversize luggage again, nearly fell out onto the pavement.  
  
"Careful with that," she admonished. "My little china cat is in there."  
  
"Half-pint," Logan sighed. "*Why* did you bring a china cat, of all things?"  
  
"I might need it," she sniffed.  
  
"For *what*?"  
  
Kitty didn't answer that to his face, but he heard something that sounded suspiciously like, "*Men*."  
  
*****  
  
The bus was mostly empty when it reached its final destination. Evan woke his aunt, and they debarked into the streets of Scranton.  
  
"Nice place," Evan remarked. "Where are we going?"  
  
Jean unfolded the scrap of paper. "12 Rosar Place. Give me the map."  
  
"I don't have a map," Evan blinked. "I thought you had a map."  
  
"I don't have a map," Jean looked up at him. They both looked at Ororo. She shrugged.  
  
"Great," Evan sagged against a streetlight. "Lost in Scranton."  
  
"Not a problem," Jean smiled the smile of a desperate person. "We'll ask directions. Sir!" She flagged down a passing man in a suit. "Could you tell us where Rosar Place is?"  
  
"Not a clue," he said without stopping.  
  
"Ookay..." Jean turned around slowly. "In that case, we'll...ask at a gas station. Come on!"  
  
Evan groaned and followed. Ororo fell into step behind, and Team Dig'em made a little procession through a city none of them knew anything about.  
  
*****  
  
When the festive group arrived at the community center, a paper sign labeled "The Party" directed them to a field behind the building. As they rounded the corner, several things became apparent.  
  
"There's no food," Kurt said immediately.  
  
"There's no DJ," Jubilee complained.  
  
"There's no *guests*," Rahne pointed out.  
  
"Let's get this party started and shake things up!" said a voice.  
  
"Lance," Rogue and Kurt said at the same time.  
  
"Wha?" Bobby looked round at them.  
  
"If someone spews bad earthquake puns, it's Lance," Rogue instructed him.  
  
"Who's Lance?" Roberto whispered.  
  
"Uh...him," Bobby pointed to a silhouetted figure on the roof.  
  
Jamie followed the pointing finger, and saw two shadows of people. "Is it Team Rocket?" he quavered.  
  
"Is that what the other team is called?" Amara asked.  
  
"It's Team Rocket!" Jamie wailed. "They've come to recite a strange motto and steal my Pikachu!"  
  
Jubilee put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Jamie," she soothed. "It's not Team Rocket, and I don't think they want Ray."  
  
"Shut up, Jubes."  
  
"You shut up, Ray."  
  
"All of you shut it," Rogue snapped, still glaring into the sun.  
  
"Anybody like *rock* music?" Lance laughed.  
  
That's when the ground started shaking, and it wasn't from loud music or too many people dancing. The young X-Men mostly stayed on their feet.  
  
"Rogue?" Roberto said warily when the quake subsided. "Why are you staring at me like that?"  
  
"Huh?" Rogue blinked. "I was just thinking which powers I might want to borrow."  
  
"Stop it, Rogue," Kurt said, without taking his eyes off the roof. "They're not a salad bar."  
  
"They're no use in battle," she argued. "They've barely finished basic training."  
  
"So they'll be back-up."  
  
Bobby exploded. "*Back-up*?" he shouted. "We're eighty percent of the team!"  
  
"Only in numbers," Kurt said calmly. "Rogue and I have more experience."  
  
"Half of the experienced elite have no offensive powers," Amara noted.  
  
At that point, Toad jumped off the roof, landed in front of them, and surveyed them suspiciously. "Yo, Lance!" he shouted upwards. "Who're all the kids?"  
  
Pietro came up from somewhere to join his teammate. "Lance, who are the kids?" he echoed.  
  
"Hey!" Tabitha squealed, stepping out from behind another corner. "How've you guys been?"  
  
"Tabby!" Jamie ran over and buried his face in her shirt. "I missed you!"  
  
"Hey, squirt," she ruffled his hair affectionately. "They been treating you okay?"  
  
"Eh," he shrugged. "It's lonely."  
  
"Hello?" Lance called down. "Are we having a battle here or not?"  
  
"Bring it on!" Bobby shouted back.  
  
The field rocked again, harder this time.  
  
Rogue grabbed Kurt's arm and pointed up. "Go!"  
  
The lingering smoke made Rahne sneeze. There were three figures on the roof now. One collapsed, and the others disappeared.  
  
"That's one down," Rogue sighed, reappearing on the field.  
  
"I don't like the way she fights, yo," Toad said uneasily.  
  
"What powers do the other ones have?" Pietro asked.  
  
"How should I know?" Toad took a step backwards. "Hey, yo, I bet Tabby knows."  
  
Tabitha was deep in conversation with Jubilee.  
  
"Forget her," Pietro said. "Where's Fred?"  
  
"'Round back."  
  
"Well, go get him!"  
  
"Yeah, make the Toad do everything," he grumbled, turning around.  
  
"Not so fast!" Bobby shouted, icing Toad's feet to the ground. "I always wanted to say that," he grinned.  
  
"Fred!" Pietro shrieked. "Help me!"  
  
The Blob appeared from a dark doorway. "Whoa," breathed several of the New Mutants.  
  
Roberto tested his energy reserves, shifted to his alternate form, and stepped up to challenge the giant. "No problem," he said. After a few minutes of grappling and wrestling, he changed his mind. "Anyone gonna help me here?" he called over his shoulder.  
  
Rahne morphed into a wolf, leaped forward, and latched onto Fred's massive leg. He didn't even seem to notice.  
  
Sam ran a few paces and launced himself at the enormous target, but bounced off ineffectually. He ran back to the group. "Do something!" he said to the older kids.  
  
"Told you," Rogue smirked.  
  
"Come on," Bobby whined. "That's no fair. *Nobody* can bring that guy down."  
  
Rogue shrugged, easily walked up behind Fred, and absorbed his energy until he passed out.  
  
Pietro was taunting Tabitha from a moderate distance, shouting insults and generally disrupting her conversation.  
  
"Go *away*!" she shouted finally, throwing an energy bomb at him. He ducked easily.  
  
Kurt spotted the explosive, saw a hill of loose earth, and rapidly calculated trajectories. He grabbed the arms of the two people nearest him and pulled them down into a miniature crevasse created by one of Lance's earthquakes. It was then that he noticed one other important detail. "Rogue!" he shouted reflexively. "Unten!"  
  
Rogue, understanding only her name, automatically turned around. The bomb hit the pile and launched broken ground in all directions. A big rock hit Rogue squarely in the back of the head. She went down.  
  
Kurt released his teammates and leapt forward. He shielded Rogue with his body, failing to notice that Lance had woken up and thrown a brick at him.  
  
Lance had good aim. Kurt was out like a light.  
  
"Whoa..." Roberto stared. "Bobby, do something!"  
  
"Uh...charge!"  
  
"Don't charge!" Sam said quickly. "It's too obvious, they'll catch us."  
  
"Do they look that smart?" Bobby sighed impatiently.  
  
"Listen," Sam said patiently. "We should-"  
  
"Shut up and let's move," Ray interrupted.  
  
"Sam has a point," Rahne said. "Let him talk."  
  
"Hey, who died and made this a democracy?" Bobby crossed his arms. "I'm the leader, and I say CHARGE!" Without another word, he ran towards the enemy. Ray, Roberto, and Amara followed him enthusiastically. Rahne shrugged, morphed, and bounded after them. Sam looked upwards, sighed, and walked behind. 


	4. Prisoners of Love and War

Bobby sat up and rubbed his head. Okay, so maybe a direct frontal attack hadn't been the best plan after all.  
  
"This is Iceman reporting," he said loudly. "Team, check in! Sunspot?"  
  
"Over here," said a voice somewhere to his left.  
  
"Cannonball?"  
  
"I'm here. I've been better."  
  
"Berzerker?"  
  
"Quit it with the protocol, Bobby. Nobody cares."  
  
Bobby sighed. "Amara?"  
  
"I'm lodging a complaint," she said. "These cells are unlawfully small."  
  
Bobby looked around. His cubicle was big enough to walk in a small circle, and there was a sort of a cot along the back wall. Truthfully, it was about the size of his bedroom at home, which he'd often whined about. "Jubilee?"  
  
"Hi!"  
  
"Rahne?"  
  
A sharp bark echoed through the stone passageway.  
  
"Jamie?"  
  
No answer.  
  
"Yo, Jamie!"  
  
"I don't believe it," Sam said after another pause. "The kid got away."  
  
"No he didn't," Ray scoffed. "He just fell asleep."  
  
There was general snickering.  
  
Bobby inspected his cell again. The walls were made of stone, and the door was solid brick. There was a small window in it, barred, and allowing a view only of the door opposite. "Roberto, can you get out?"  
  
"No go. Used all my energy in the fight."  
  
Bobby carefully reviewed his teammates' abilities. "Sam?"  
  
There were some footsteps, and a dull thump. "Ow. Sorry. Not enough room."  
  
"In that case," Bobby said. "We'll just...sit and think."  
  
"Shoulda done that back on the field," Sam grumbled.  
  
*****  
  
An almost disturbingly normal-looking Kurt was walking through the Institute, an unabridged Webster's Dictionary under his arm.  
  
"Salutations, Kitty!" he said, upon meeting the person of that name. "It is pleasing to espy your personage."  
  
"Hi, Kurt," Kitty smiled warmly.  
  
"Ah, Kitty," Kurt dropped the book and drew her into an embrace. "You fail to be cognizant of the temporal duration for which I have yearned for you to requite even an ambsace of my affections."  
  
"What?" Kitty said. "I can't hear you. I have a banana in my ear."  
  
Kurt looked down to discover that Kitty had turned into a giant banana and was melting through the floor.  
  
"No!" he cried, dropping to his knees. "Desist! Refrain from deserting me!"  
  
"I'm right here," Jubilee's voice came from somewhere in front of him. "Can you see me?"  
  
Kurt looked up the empty hallway.  
  
"We're right here," said the disembodied voices of the New Mutants. "Can you see us? Help..."  
  
Kurt jerked awake.  
  
'How did I get in this room?' he wondered. 'Where am I?'  
  
There was a soft whooshing noise as a vent in the ceiling released sweet-smelling chloroform vapors.  
  
Kurt struggled briefly for lucidity, then drifted back into unconsciousness.  
  
*****  
  
Rogue was sure she looked like a mess. This was besides the fact that she was wearing a strait-jacket. If Kitty had been there, she would have said that it was, like, a total fashion disaster.  
  
She was in a room with very solid metal walls. It seemed that there had recently been a door, but it was now welded shut.  
  
She didn't seem to have any borrowed powers at the moment.  
  
At about this time, Mystique melted out of the floor.  
  
"How'd you do that?" Rogue demanded.  
  
"Shape-shifting has many uses," Mystique smiled humorlessly.  
  
"Let me guess," Rogue sighed. "This is another attempt to bring me back to the Brotherhood?"  
  
"No," Mystique replied. "This is another attempt to bring you back to me."  
  
"So you kidnapped Kurt too."  
  
"Of course."  
  
"What about the kids?"  
  
"I have no interest in your friends," Mystique leaned against the far wall. "But it doesn't do to chase only the king and queen. The pawns are also dangerous if left running around."  
  
Rogue got her feet under her and slid up the wall. "Me and Kurt don't like you," she spat. "Leave us alone."  
  
"I love you," Mystique stepped forward.  
  
"No, you don't," Rogue narrowed her eyes. "You just want my powers. Kurt, you'd probably sell him to science as soon as you need some money."  
  
Mystique came nearer. "It isn't true," she whispered. Her outline blurred and shifted to that of Risty Wilde. "I've tried to be close to you..."  
  
"You're...Risty?" Rogue said disbelievingly.  
  
Mystique nodded.  
  
"No!" Rogue squeezed her eyes shut. "It isn't true! You're tricking me again!"  
  
It was then that Rogue did something she never thought she would.  
  
She kissed her mother. 


	5. Reaching Out

A/N: For anyone who didn't understand the last scene, here's how it goes. Rogue wants to zap Mystique. Rogue is wearing a strait-jacket. Therefore, she has to use something other than her hands. Got it? Good. ^_^  
  
*****  
  
"Go up Moosic, make a right on Crown Avenue, a left on River Street, a right on Boland Court, and then go left onto Rosar."  
  
"Is it walkable?" Jean asked.  
  
The uniformed attendant looked at her thoughtfully. "'Bout a mile and a half."  
  
"Okay, thanks."  
  
Team Dig'em headed off at a leisurely pace.  
  
"It's good to be off the bus," Ororo sighed.  
  
Evan had to walk fast to keep up with his aunt's long strides. "Are you sure you know where we're going, Jean?" he asked.  
  
"Of course I know where we're going," Jean studied the paper again. "Gas station workers *always* know directions."  
  
"Yeah," Evan groaned. "And girls are always right."  
  
Jean nudged Ororo. "I think he's catching on!"  
  
*****  
  
"Where to, mister?"  
  
"78 Finlay Road," Logan said as he squeezed into the backseat of the taxi.  
  
The driver nodded and pulled away from the airport taxi platform.  
  
"Can we see the Space Needle?" Kitty asked.  
  
"No."  
  
"The Pacific Ocean?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Volunteer Park?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"This is boring," Kitty slouched in her seat.  
  
"Come on, Kitty," Scott said. "This isn't a sight-seeing tour. We're here for the betterment of the team."  
  
"I like the team the way it is."  
  
"We're after a girl. Maybe you'll like her."  
  
Kitty brightened. "If I do, can I change roommates?"  
  
"Maybe," Logan said.  
  
Kitty thought for a moment. "Let's play Mother May I."  
  
"No!"  
  
*****  
  
"Hi, we're looking for Constance Moreland," Jean said brightly.  
  
"No Constance here," said the man inside the doorway.  
  
Jean double-checked her paper. "12 Rosar Place?"  
  
"This is it. You musta copied the wrong line outta the phone book. This is the Montgomery residence."  
  
'They're hiding her,' was Evan's first thought.  
  
'No, they're not,' Jean told him. 'He's telling the truth. We've got the wrong house.'  
  
"Anything else I can do for you?" Mr. Montgomery asked.  
  
"Um, no, thanks," Jean turned and went down the two stone steps. "That does say 'Rosar', doesn't it?"  
  
Evan leaned over and looked. "R-o-s-a-r," he confirmed. "Rosar."  
  
"Where did we go wrong?" Jean furrowed her brow. "Are we in the wrong town?"  
  
"Nope," Evan sighed. "This is Scranton. Unfortunately."  
  
"What do you think?" Jean looked up at Ororo.  
  
"I think I'm going to let you solve this by yourselves," the tall woman replied.  
  
"Okay," Jean thought for a moment. "Let's call the Professor. Did you see a pay-phone, Evan?"  
  
Wordlessly he pointed back towards the main streets.  
  
"Great. Let's go!"  
  
*****  
  
"Mother, May I take off Scott's glasses to see how many eyes he has?"  
  
"Stop it, Kitty," Scott held his shades protectively and leaned against the door.  
  
"May I?" Kitty repeated.  
  
"Half-pint, enough," Logan rubbed his head.  
  
"78 Finlay," the driver said.  
  
Scott got out and started unloading the bags from the trunk, while Logan went around to the driver's window to pay.  
  
"Keep the change, bub," he said, handing the cabbie a large bill.  
  
"You carry it," Scott said.  
  
"Why me?" Kitty frowned.  
  
"It's your bag!"  
  
Kitty mumbled something under her breath and managed to lift the suitcase using both hands. "Mr. Logan?" she said sweetly. "Will you carry this for me?"  
  
Logan rolled his eyes and took it, just to shut her up.  
  
Free of the heaviest luggage, Scott had already climbed the porch and rung the bell.  
  
"Hello?" a woman peeked through a crack in the door.  
  
"Hi, is Mary Patterson here?"  
  
The door closed. There was the sound of a chain being slid out, and then it opened again. "Come in," the woman said.  
  
Scott, Kitty, and Logan followed her into the living room.  
  
*****  
  
Jamie was not asleep. He was thinking. Friday's conversation echoed through his head.  
  
~I only know how many there are.~  
  
He didn't remember creating any clones, but there was one out there. Somewhere. Doing something.  
Too bad he couldn't give it any instructions from here.  
  
New powers tended to manifest in desperate situations. 'Now would be a good time,' he thought. Maybe he would suddenly be able to talk to his clones telepathically. 'Get help...'  
  
Maybe he could become his clone. They were really the same person anyway, right?  
  
Then again, he had no idea where he would wind up if it worked. He might even die when his clone disappeared.  
  
~...the most flat-out *useless* power in the history of mutantdom.~  
  
He only wanted to help. 


End file.
